Skylanders Imaginators will let you design and 3D print your own Skylander heroes

Oct 3, 2016 | By Benedict

Using a new mobile app, players of the Skylanders toys-to-life video game series will be able to create their own 3D printed, fully playable characters for the forthcoming Skylanders Imaginators game. Players can also use the app to create personalized trading cards and T-shirts.

Activision’s Skylanders franchise has enjoyed the kind of success that game developers and publishers can usually only dream of. Not only has the game completely captured the imaginations of its legions of players, it also rakes in more cash than the average game thanks to its toys-to-life element: players buy NFC-enabled character toys, which can then be placed on the “Portal of Power” to enable in-game play with that character. That aspect of the game is about to get a whole lot more exciting (and potentially lucrative), because players of the forthcoming Skylanders Imaginators game (October 13 release) will be able to use a new mobile app, Skylanders Creator, to create playable, customized, 3D printed characters.

Fans of the game franchise will actually be witnessing a great deal of Skylanders activity in the month of October, including the release of Imaginators and the launch of Skylanders Academy, a Netflix Originals online TV series. However, it is the launch of Skylanders Creator that is getting gamers most excited. The mobile app will enable players to create new and exciting characters on the move, using creation tools similar to those found in the game. Creations can then be imported into the game using a special audio communication feature called “chirping.” With chirping, gamers won’t need an internet connection on their console to receive the custom Skylander from the app. Instead, all necessary data for the character can be transferred in a small audio clip, which the user can play from their mobile device.

Creators will have a large variety of body part and color options when designing their custom character, and the Creator app will even utilize Timed Imaginite Chests that give users new creation parts for their Imaginators at certain times during the day. The app will also use Sensei Chests featuring special parts unique to that Skylander, a collection menu where players can access all of their created Imaginators, and the ability to share created characters with fans around the world.

Besides being able to use their created characters in-game, users of the Creator app will be treated to another incredible feature: 3D printed figures. Once a gamer has finished creating their awesome new character, they have the option of ordering it as a 3D printed model through 3D printing service Shapeways. The custom-printed Imaginator is then shipped to the gamer in full color, posed on a base, and enclosed in a clear protective dome, making each 3D printed figure a true collector’s item. The figures are also playable in the Skylanders Imaginators game through the usual Portal of Power connection.

Excitingly, players who use the Creator app to create 3D printed models will have the chance to pit their creations against others. Starting October 24, gamers can win the opportunity to receive their custom 3D printed Imaginator figure via a global Skylanders 3D printed Imaginator contest. To participate, players can make an Imaginator either in-game or using the Skylanders Creator app. Once the character has been shared on social media with the #CreatorContest tag, it will be automatically entered into the competition.

In addition to the 3D printed figures, gamers using the Creator app will also have the chance to transform their characters into other forms, namely trading cards and T-shirts. The high-quality trading cards can also be placed on the Portal of Power for in-game play, while the full-color T-shirts let players show off their creations in style, with each T-shirt displaying the character’s Battle Class, element, and name.

“Since we first pioneered toys-to-life, fans have been clamoring for ways to express their love for Skylanders,” said Paul Reiche, co-founder and studio head at Toys For Bob. “Now with the Skylanders Creator app and the launch of Skylanders Imaginators, the sky is the limit. This year, Skylanders is putting the power of creation in the hands of fans in ways never before imagined, and we can’t wait to see the millions of Imaginators that will be dreamed up by our Portal Masters around the world.”

The Skylanders Creator app will be available to download on both iOS and Android mobile devices. In North America, 3D printed Imaginator figures will be available for the suggested price of $49.99 each, which includes free shipping. Limited quantities of these figures will be available.